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CRTC to examine future of 911 services in Canada

OTTAWA and GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 17, 2012, 2012 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) --
Today, the Canadian
Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced
that it will examine the future of 911 services in Canada. To prepare
for the formal review in 2014-2015, the CRTC has appointed National
Commissioner Tim Denton as an Inquiry Officer and invites Canadians to
share their views on how 911 services could be improved. Mr. Denton
will report his findings to the CRTC by the end of May 2013.

"Each year, the 911 system is relied upon by thousands of Canadians
during emergency situations," said Mr. Denton. "As telecommunications
networks evolve and adopt new technologies, we all have an interest in
ensuring that the system continues to meet Canadians' needs. In
particular, I would encourage first responders, call centre operators
and governmental bodies to share their ideas on how the 911 system
could help them better respond to emergency situations."
Mr. Denton will conduct research on 911 services in light of the
telecommunications system's ongoing evolution to next-generation
networks based on Internet Protocol. His recommendations will be taken
into consideration when the CRTC begins its formal review of the
regulatory framework for Canada's 911 system.

To assist Mr. Denton in preparing his report, the CRTC today launched a
public consultation. Canadians are invited to share their views by
February 1, 2013, on the following topics:
-- the performance and adequacy of the technology currently
employed by 911 services, such as that used to locate a caller
using a cellphone
-- the issues related to the provision of 911 services on
next-generation networks, including how systems should be
designed and the appropriate institutional arrangements, and
-- policy considerations on 911 matters.